Objectives of the Workshop A. Pier Siebesma KNMI De Bilt The Netherlands And Joao Teixeira NURC La Spezia Italy

Objective of RICO “To understand shallow cumulus and processes involved at all relevant scales, with special attention to precipitation ”

Questions for RICO data analysis Does Shallow Cumulus precipitate? How much does Shallow Cumulus Precipitate? What is the observed mean state of the RICO shallow cu? (temperature, humidity, cloud cover profiles, etc) Is it different from ATEX, BOMEX? What is the entrainment mechanism? What is the spatial structure of the shallow cu: Are the mesosale structures Can we categorize them How do they contribute to the precipitation

Questions for RICO LES/SCM intercomparison Do LES/SCM reproduce the observed mean state? Do LES/SCM precipitate and how compares it with the data? Do LES reproduce the same spatial strucured clouds? Do precipitation affect the mean state?

GCSS/WGNE Pacific Cross-Section Intercomparison (GPCI) ISCCP total cloud cover Sea Surface Temperature GPCI is a working group of the GEWEX Cloud System Study (GCSS) Models and data are analyzed along a Pacific Crossection from Stratocumulus, to shallow cumulus and to deep convection Models: GFDL, NCAR, UKMO, JMA, MF, KNMI, DWD, NCEP, ECMWF, BMRC, NASA/GISS, UCSD, UQM, LMD, CMC, CSU, GKSS

GPCI Motivation To evaluate models and observations in the tropics and sub-tropics in terms of the atmospheric hydrologic cycle To include 3D NWP/Climate models in the GCSS framework (SCM/LES/CRM intercomparisons have limitations) To utilize a new generation of satellite datasets (e.g. AIRS, CloudSat, GPS) To create a database of models and observations for future studies of the tropics and sub-tropics Trying to adress further questions: Can models reproduce the main properties of the diurnal cycle in the (sub)tropics? Can models and observations characterize the humidity structure of the (sub)tropical upper-troposphere?